Investigations by the Punch showed that some of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors from the southern part of the country are in dilemma over the zoning of political offices in the party.
Their dilemma, it was gathered, was borne out of the decision reached by the governors from the southern part of the country that the next president should come from the region.
The governors, irrespective of political affiliations, had at their last two meetings, insisted that the next President of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of Nigeria in the spirit of justice, equity and fairness.
The governors, who met on the platform of Southern Governors Forum, were elected on the platform of the PDP, All Progressives Congress and the All Progressives Grand Alliance. They had met in Delta and Enugu states.
In a seven paragraph communiqué read by the chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, at the last meeting, the Forum also supported the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the states.
The communiqué, which was read by Akeredolu said the governors “reiterated their earlier position that the next President of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of Nigeria in line with politics of equity, justice and fairness.”
But one of the governors said, “We are clamouring for a southern governor at our enlarged meeting, now we are ceding the position of our flag bearer (candidate) to the North. Who will now take us seriously on other decisions reached at our meetings if we are seen as not able to enforce this simple one (of where our candidate should come from) within our party?
“We are actually in dilemma. We have actually not been able to identify those interested in running for the position of president from the southern part of the country from our party.
“Apart from that, only the late Yar’Adua had been the president produced by our party from the North. Baba Obasanjo is from the South just like Jonathan. So, what do we do? Southerners are the only one running to be the national chairman of the party now. You could see now why we are in dilemma and why we have a moral burden on the issue.
“I think we goofed in following the APC governors in this argument. This is because a party that is not in power should not be talking about rotation or following a pattern that would be in favour of the ruling party. Now, the APC could use this against us if we renege on the collective agreement.”
Party holds congresses in nine states today
Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and aggrieved leaders of the PDP will today (Saturday), test their popularity within the state chapter of the party as members go to the polls to choose ward leaders.
The state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Akeem Olatunji, in an interview with one of our correspondents in Ibadan, on Friday, said the exercise would be held in each of the 351 wards across the 33 Local Government Areas of the state.
Olatunji said everything was set for the ward congress.
However, one of the aggrieved party leaders, Bisi Olopoeyan, said while it was true that the congress would hold on Saturday, he however said members of the committee saddled with the responsibility of conducting it had yet to be seen.
He threatened that his group could hold parallel congresses if any attempt was made to manipulate the process. Some aggrieved PDP leaders across the 33 local government areas of the state had on Monday, passed a vote of no confidence in Makinde.
The aggrieved politicians are some prominent PDP leaders in the state among who were a former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi; former Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mulikat Adeola- Akande; Olopoeyan; Nureni Akanbi; Femi Babalola among others.
The aggrieved party leaders who accused Makinde of sidelining those who helped him to win the 2019 election passed a vote of no confidence in him in a communiqué read by Michael Okunlade.
The communiqué read in part, “Members are urged to go to the congress venue on Saturday and conduct themselves in the most peaceful manner. The venue remains the wards’ meeting venues in each of the 351 wards in the state.
“If other members of the PDP turn up at the venue, they should jointly hold the congress together but nobody should engage in any form of hooliganism and brigandage. As members of the same party, we must relate as such.
“The meeting prays for a peaceful conduct of the PDP congress which is on Saturday, September 25 through October 16, 2021.
However, the state chapter of the party in a statement signed by Olatunji said, “Some of the members who claimed to be aggrieved are merely acting out their frustrations after their candidates in government were either redeployed due to incompetence or shown the exit door due to gross misconduct bordering on the challenge of integrity.”
State congresses are expected to also hold in Ebonyi, Lagos, Adamawa, Kebbi, Borno, Kogi, Osun, and Kwara states.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, who confirmed the development on the telephone to Saturday PUNCH, in Abuja, on Friday, said, “For Kogi, it is held in wards and local governments, in only some wards are affected in Osun State. For the rest of the states, it’s the ward, Local Government Areas and the state.”
Saturday PUNCH reported that the National Working Committee of the party on July 8, 2021, approved the schedule for the activities of the 2021 congresses in the nine states.
The party’s spokesperson had observed that the approval was sequel to the expiration of the tenure of executives of the aforementioned states, in line with section 47(1) of the party’s constitution (as amended).
For Ebonyi, the State Executive Committee was dissolved following Governor Dave Umahi’s defection from the party to join the All Progressives Congress.
According to the timetable signed by the National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobundu, the party will embark on membership drive exercise from July 12 to August 2021 — this will be carried out by state chapters and the NWC.
The notice of the party’s congresses and the end of the tenure of executives of the affected nine state chapters took effect from July 12.
The party announced that the sale of nomination forms would take place from July 26 till August 27, 2021, while September 6, 2021, was the last day for submission of forms by all aspirants seeking to contest for state executive positions. Congresses for the election of ward executives and three ad-hoc delegates in the nine affected states will take place on September 25, 2021.
Credit: PUNCH
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